Golden Girl
by loki-rose
Summary: On Miss Grant's eighteenth birthday, her English teacher gives her a helping hand Mr Gold and OC I do not own anything except the OC :)
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! Just a few points before you read this, number one, because I come from England, when I say school, I mean high school, and my OC is in sixth form/ last years of high school- sorry I don't know what that's called! Also, second point, I love Mr Gold, so if anyone likes this, I'll be happy to add more chapter- if so, the rating will go up! Enjoy and please review, all feedback is appreciated! :)**

I hadn't asked for much for my birthday this year. Except a first edition of my favourite book; Pride and Prejudice. I had admired it for years in the shop window of the old bookshop I passed every day on my way to school. Finally, my father had taken the hint, and had proudly presented to me, with a big beaming grin spread widely across his face, this gift. He'd made a big effort with wrapping it and it made me smile so sweetly, I walked to school in a brilliant mood. I hated going in on my birthday; but if I didn't turn up the terrifying drone of an English teacher would suspect something and then all hell would break loose…

So, as I had a free period first, I sat in the cafeteria waiting for Ruby, Mary Margaret and David to turn up, to no doubt make a far bigger fuss over me than was necessary. Even if it was my eighteen birthday. I was born quite early on in the academic year, so I would have to spend a huge time of my first official year of adulthood in this… well dump really. To be polite… It wasn't that it was a bad school, except the teachers. Some were lovely, others were, tricky. Like my cranky English teacher. Again, being polite. You could argue he was misunderstood, maybe even obsessive (in the nicest way possible of course) but it was no excuse to be quite that… pedantic.

Anyway, the three fellow crazy people I call my friends showed up, each with an extremely wide smile on their faces. I instantly felt my eyes roll back into my head, just out of sheer exhaustion as to what they had planned…

"Morning birthday girl!" Mary Margaret said

"HAPPY BIRHDAY!" David and Ruby chimed as they stood behind her. They all soon quickly found their seats, and glanced around the table at each other, each smirking.

"Go on then!" I said after glancing at each of their smirks, with a look of utter confusion.

"Ok" Mary Margaret started, handing me a small box, with a pretty bow on the top. "I know you didn't want any fuss…"

"But you honestly can't expect us to ignore our best friend's eighteenth birthday?" David said "This is from us" he said, as I started to work on opening the box.

My heart tugged slightly at the fact that he reached for Mary Margaret's hand. They hadn't officially been together long, but the minute I met them both, I knew they'd end up together, and they were made for each other.

I'd always hated opening presents in front of people. Everyone staring at you, and then the horrifying moment where they tense up, as you first lay eyes on it, waiting for you to react.

But they needn't have worried. When I finally opened the box, it was a silver charm bracelet. I gasped and my eyes widened. "It's beautiful! Thanks you guys!" I said as I leapt up and ran to the other side of the table, and hugged the two of them.

"Ok, my turn!" Ruby said excitedly, handing me another, smaller box. I threw the lid off and saw… yes of course. Of course they all worked together. Charms for the bracelet. I smiled, and threw my arms around her.

After a while, having shown them the book my father had given me, but of course they wouldn't appreciate as much, but I knew they tried. Ruby turned to me with a mischievous smirk across her face and said "So, looking forward to your birthday dose of Mr Gold?"

I rolled my eyes and stared at her. She hated my English teacher more than anyone, but of course, being the top of the class, led her to think the unthinkable. "Ooh I can barely contain my joy" I said, as I slipped the book back in my bag.

"Leave her alone Ruby" Mary Margaret said "This is supposed to be a happy day- so don't mention someone who irritates her so much!"

I giggled. "It's ok! So tell me Ruby, how is Archie?" Archie was in her psychology class, and obviously had a crush on her. I'd tried to make a case for him, but it was hopeless. I did feel sorry for him though. He was sweet, but Ruby was a lost cause.

"So not funny." She said. She looked as if she was going to say something else, but she was saved by the bell. I stood up, trying not to groan. English. I loved the subject, just not _him._

I headed for the door, and I caught the faint yell of Ruby; "Have fun with your golden boy!" she said

Another thing I hated was being the first to that class. For a strict teacher, he didn't seem to care about people just waltzing in and taking their seats, so if you were first in, you sat down first, and it was an agonizingly awkward silence as he prepared for the lesson. Either or he actually didn't mind me doing it. But wait no that was just weird…

So, I came through the door, and sat down at my usual seat. I got out my notebook, and turned to my English section. He was the type of person who would acknowledge your presence, a few minutes after you'd announced yourself, and then if you were lucky, give you a dismissive smile. Today, I was lucky; I received one of those smiles. I smiled back, but with slightly less warmth than I would give anyone else I had to smile at.

"Happy birthday" he said quietly- so quietly I almost missed it, and I actually thought I'd imagined it. But when those deep brown eyes met mine, I quickly realise, nope he'd actually said it.

"Thank you" I said quickly, my voice breaking in the middle.

Then we both hurriedly broke eye contact and looked back down at our work as the class began to quickly file in.

The hour passed quicker than usual, as his Scottish brogue went through an entire act of The Crucible- the most we had ever gotten through in the class in a week, let alone an hour. He was an interesting character really. Always in a suit, and he walked with a cane. He had tasteful wisps of grey going through his hair, and that Scottish accent… I had come to know it so well this past year- it made a story become a little less dull. A very interesting character indeed.

As the final bell went, everyone began to file out, but I heard that familiar Scottish voice call out my name. I stopped outside the doorway, and went back into the classroom.

"Yes Sir?" I said. I didn't have anywhere to be, but I really didn't want to spend any more time I absolutely had to with this man

"If I could just borrow a moment of your time"

"Well I hope you'll give it back Sir" I said- realising that I'd said it when it was too late to take back

But, the imp seemed to have a sense of humour, as he smirked at me "I'll try" he said, as he hobbled back to his desk, and then waved me over. Cautiously, I followed him, and stood next to him. "Look around will you Miss Grant" So I looked. "Do you notice anything, out of place?"

"No sir" I said, silently trying to make up my mind whether I liked him calling me Miss Grant.

"Really?" he said with mock surprise in his voice. He started to walk towards my desk. "So not the birthday present your friends kindly chipped in to get you?" he said, pointing the cane down to shimmering silver charm bracelet. He bent down to get it, and handed it to me. This time he smiled at me with a little more warmth, maybe even smugly.

"Thank you Sir." I said, and held my hand out for him to place it. Except he didn't. He quickly unclipped it, and attached it to a smaller size so that there was no chance of it to fall off. Slowly, he released my arm from his grip. And quickly walked away, back to the papers on top of the filing cabinet behind his desk.

"On your way then Miss Grant" he said softly "I hope I didn't take up too much of your time"

I walked towards the door, but as I got to it, I stopped and turned to face him "Thank you Sir"

He didn't turn around, but he stopped filing and looked up. Then I left. I had to tell someone this, but I knew if I did, the jokes would flow freely and it just wouldn't be worth it. Still. Why would he do that?


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading! Dedicated to the amazing Holly- I hope this chapter will help convince you Mr Gold is fricking awesome! Enjoy!**

So I left Mr Gold's classroom, knowing I would soon have to return to it for my second English class of the day. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about it. My stomach seemed to knot, but my brain constantly told me to shut up. I decided to clear my mind, using the only thing I knew would help- book shopping. I signed out of school for the hour, and walked down to the antique bookstore I pass everyday on my walk to school. I knew the owner very well; when my mother was alive she was best friends with the man's wife, and over the years, their antique shop of trinkets slowly turned into a book shop with a few trinkets scattered around the shop.

The beauty of the shop was that it seemed to go on for ever. Upon first appearances, it looked like a tiny, run down shop, but once you stepped into the inside of the shop, it seemed to go back further than the horizon appeared to pirates on a ship. It was here that I sat in my window seat, in truth it was just a window seat, but I was the only person who ever sat on it, or could deal with the dusty old book smell for quite that long, therefore it was my window seat.

Anyway, I started to read my book, when I heard I rustle coming from behind a bookshelf. "Alana?" I looked up from my book at the sound of my name when I realised it was Erin with a cheeky grin on her face. I returned her smile, and she crept towards me "Happy birthday, little miss adult!" she said as she sat down next to me. She picked up my book, and smiled as though it was approval of the title, _Jane Eyre_. We both knew it had been my mother's favourite, but neither of us wanted to say it, especially not today.

"Now Alana." She said firmly, passing the book back to me and peering at me over her glasses "it is my duty as your favourite auntie, and of course the owner of this wonderful shop" she said spreading her arms out to demonstrate as though I'd forgotten which shop she was talking about "to offer you absolutely any book from our shelves, as your birthday present"

"Oh no. I couldn't!" I said

"Oh please. I know you didn't want a fuss, but if you don't choose a book, I may have to box your ears." She peered at me again "Off you go! Run free!"

I kissed her on the cheek, and she wrapped her arms around me. She was the closest thing I had to a mother, my own had died when I very young, so I loved her far more as an aunt, but she always felt she'd be stepping on my mother's memory if she said anything. Still I walked through the shelves. All the amazing adventures, and I had to choose but one. Normally I was picking with choosing books, but this was something else…

Still, I continued my voyage. I allowed my fingers to trail across the spines of the books, until I stopped. That one. Definitely. Praying silently under my breath that it was "50 Shades of Grey" or something, and trying not to laugh at Mr Gold's expression if he knew someone he respected could possibly… Still, I pulled it out and sighed. It "Prose Edda". I handed it to Erin. She smiled and removed the tags, wished me a happy birthday again, and I headed back to school. It was during my slow walk back I got a text from Ruby:

"Where the hell are you? Golden boy is going to go nuts!"

Shit. I was late. Already. I started to run. I hated running, I always fell over. But luckily, this time I didn't. Still, I kind of wish I had, so Mr Gold could go easy on me, but clearly he wouldn't.

I'd decided to just sneak in, I wasn't late, everyone else was just really early, and all arrived together according to the ringing of a bell. Except of course, the only seat free in the class; was right at the front of the class. Feeling my face turn a scarlet red, I sat at the desk of shame, and got out my notepad.

Trying to shake off Gold's clear evil glares and tense body language, I focussed really hard on my work. But it was all pointless. He dismissed the class, but stood in front of me as I tried to leave.

"Could I borrow just another moment of your time Miss Grant?" he said softly.

I froze. I slowly walked back to the desk of shame and sat down. He hobbled over to his desk, and sat down at the front of it, facing me. I just waited. What could he possibly have to say now? Determined not to break his eye contact, we stared in silence.

Then he got up, hobbled over to behind his desk and gathered up some papers. He threw them down on my desk "This is your homework. Due next lesson. If you had been on time to my lesson, you would have known about it. Perhaps if you spent less time buying books…" then he froze.

How did he know I was doing that? I quickly gathered up the papers, and stood up and hurriedly walked out, leaving him standing, eyes closed at his sheer stupidity.

**I do not own the book Fifty Shades of Grey, and for all those who aren't total geeks like me and Holly "Prose Edda" is a book telling all the tales of Norse mythology and definitely worth a read if you like Thor, Loki or anyone else in that kind of thing! :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys, sorry I took longer to upload- hope you guys like it! :D**

Thank god I was home. Gold was seriously freaking me out… It worried me how he knew where I was. To be fair, you don't really have to be my closest acquaintance to know that I loved books, or that I spent a huge portion of time reading and buying them. But Mr Gold wasn't even an acquaintance. Freak1y… Maybe I shouldn't have stormed out.

I threw myself down at my desk and threw open my folder that I had hurriedly shoved the English assignment in to. I flicked through the sheets and the book. But I threw it away. I couldn't concentrate. Instead, I decided to search for my pencil case, just randomly decided to. I was often doing that. It wasn't there. Cursing myself inside, I realised- I'd left it at school. _At the only place I'd got it out all day…_ I groaned as I realised- in Gold's English class. Sure I could just find a pen, like any normal person would, but I liked my pencil case and I was weird about my stuff. I glanced at the clock. 3pm. Good job I'd had an early finish. My father wouldn't be home for a few hours. Plenty of time to walk back, get my pencil case and avoid any confrontation with Gold.

I picked up my coat, my phone and my keys, and then headed back to school. Walking briskly, I decided on what I would say to Gold, should I see him. I decided I would say nothing, but a teeny tiny voice in the back of my mind told that so wasn't going to happen. It was like even my conscience wanted me to talk to him. Brushing the thought of, I found myself at the school.

I crept through the corridor up to the English rooms, turning left at the door and found it deserted. There, in pride of place, was my pencil case. Internally breathing a sigh of relief, shaking off the unexpected surge of disappointment I turned to the door. The doorway, which Gold was standing in.

Feeling relief wash over me, I found myself scowl at his smirk.

"Back so soon Miss Grant?" he said. There was something about the way he curled his words that I found strangely captivated. It made me feel as though we were battling with our words when we spoke, a battle only we could fight- that no one would win.

I held up the pencil case; stupidly, as though he wouldn't understand what I was talking about "I left my pencil case" I said

"And no doubt you needed it to complete your English homework?" he said, the height of his eyebrows, turning my brain to mush

"Yes sir" I said

"Could you not have…? Oh I don't know- have found a pen?" he sneered

"Well yes, I suppose I could have" I said; cautiously choosing my words "but I'm very protective of my possessions"

"Well I can assure you, they would come to no harm here" he smiled sarcastically, a smile I was so used to him doing in the middle of a debate with a student about why their homework was so late.

"Thank you" I said, walking towards the door- expecting him to move.

But he didn't. Typical. He had to be one of the most infuriatingly difficult people I had ever met. I stood in front of him, waiting for him to move out of the way. I told him through my eyes that I wanted him to get out of the way of the door so I could leave, but he just stared back at me- smirking in his eyes, refusing to back down.

It was an unusually narrow doorway, and he conveniently turned to the side to allow me to slide past him. Which I did, trying not to blush. In the longest two seconds of my life, I was through the doorway, almost running down the corridor.

"See you tomorrow dearie!" he said in an unfamiliar voice. I glanced over my shoulder, to see if it really was him- but he wasn't there. Great. Now I'm hearing things.

That night, I lay staring at my wall. It must have been half one in the morning, and I had had a nightmare. Unable to sleep and my pillow now moist from the tears I had shed in the night, I felt a hand sweep across my face. Normally to someone who'd had a nightmare that would be terrifying, but this comforted me. I felt my mattress dip under the weight of someone else, and the warmth of another body pressed against mine, under the covers with me. They wrapped their arms around my waist, and slowly hushed me back to sleep. I never saw their face, but I knew for certain whom it was.

As if my life couldn't get any worse. Now I had imagined my English teacher rescuing me from a scary nightmare- and it had worked. Shit.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys- just a quick note to say I've decided that I'm not going to continue this story. My humblest of apologies, but I think I've left it too long as sort of lost the flow for it.**

**Please accept my sincere apology- but please read and review my other stories- they are gratefully appreciated!**


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